A Project Report on

Thermal Conductivity Of Metallic Rod Through Experimental Setup

Submitted by
DEVARSHI VYAS (090170119021) PANKAJ VATUKIYA (090170119035) JUVANSINH PARMAR (090170119036)

Under the Guidance of Prof. S. P. Patel Department of Mechanical Engineering Vishwakarma Government Engineering College , Chandkheda

Thermal conductivity is the physical property of the material denoting the ease with a particular substance can accomplish the transmission of thermal energy by molecular motion. Thermal conductivity of a material is found to depend on the chemical composition of the substance or substances of which it is composed, the phase (i.e. gas, liquid or solid) in which it exists, its crystalline structure of a solid, the temperature and pressure to which it is subjected, and whether or not it is a homogeneous material.

The experimental set up consists of the metal bar, one end of which is heated by an electric heater while the other end of the bar projects inside the cooling water jacket. The middle portion of the bar is surrounded by a cylindrical shell filled with the glass wool. The temperature of the bar is measured at five different positions, while the radial temperature distribution is measured by separate thermocouples at two different sections in the insulating shell.

The heater is provided with a dimmer stat for controlling the heat input. Water under constant head condition is circulated through the jacket and its flow rate and temperature rise are noted.

Thermal energy may be conducted in solids by two modes.

1.Lattice vibrations. 2.Transport by free electrons.

In good electrical conductors a rather large number of free electrons move about in the lattice structure of the material. Just as these electrons may transport electric charge, they may also carry thermal energy from a high temperature region. In fact, these electrons are frequently referred as the electron gas. Energy may also be transmitted as vibrational energy in the lattice structure of the material. In general, however, this latter mode of energy transfer is not as large as the electron transport and it is for this reason that good electrical conductors are almost always good heat conductors, i.e. Copper, Aluminium & silver. With increase in the temperature, however the increased lattice vibrations come in the way of the transport by free electrons for most of the pure metals the thermal conductivity decreases with increase in the temperatures for some metals.

Hand watch A/C supply Beaker Selector switch Thermo pile circuit Ammeter Volt meter Case box Metallic rods Temperature indicator

Material of Metal Bar

Length of the Each Metal Bar : Diameter of the Each Metal Bar : Test length of Each bar : Temperature Sensors mounted on Type of Temperature Sensors : Heater : Dimmer stat for heater coil : Voltmeter : Ammete : Temperature indicator :

(1) Copper (2) Aluminum 600mm 25mm 550mm Number of Each bar : 12 Nos. K Type Nichrome heater (Bend Type) upto 5Amp, 230VAC Digital 0 to 250 Volts Digital 0 to 5 Amps. 12 channel Digital Indicator

First of all put metal rod in the case Turn on the power supply. Wait for a while till rod get heated. Now measure temperature difference at different length . Make a table of the data collected. Apply formula for finding thermal conductivity for each temperature difference. Take average of all conductivity and find final thermal conductivity of putted rod at various voltage value. Note down thermal conductivity value.

We can find thermal conductivity of a rod for different material and can use that conductivity as thermal characteristic of that material which helps to analyse thermal property of that metal by scientific approach.

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